Organic Mentions Play Scanty Role in Fashion Brands’ Social Strategy

ByElisabeth Rosen ·

27 July 2015

Afraid of being seen on Instagram in the same outfit twice, millennials are investing in a wider variety of clothes at lower cost.

“I have made a conscious effort to start buying more skirts and tops rather than dresses, because at least then I can mix and match them and it looks like a new outfit,” a 23-year-old shopper told the Financial Times.

Amid mounting evidence that selfie culture drives fashion choices, brands are taking advantage of social platforms to promote new looks. Yet few have gone beyond branded posts to capitalize on the potential of organic mentions.

As Instagram enjoys growing popularity among fashion lovers, brands are flocking to the social platform: 96% of brands in L2’s Fashion Index had an Instagram presence in Q2 2015, an 11% increase from the previous year. The average brand had about one million followers, a year-on-year surge of 160%, according to L2’s Insight Report: Fashion Social Media.

But while fashion brands are expanding their Instagram presence – posting 36% more frequently this year – only a few incorporated brand mentions into their social strategy.

Chanel has more than 14 million organic mentions, more than any other Index brand, and has been able to channel those mentions into a following of 5.7 million – placing it among the top brands in luxury.

Rebecca Minkoff is another brand that is leveraging fans’ enthusiasm and mentions on social media. It put together a collection of fan photos with the hashtag #rebeccaminkoff on the brand site and provided a direct link to buy the products shown. Similarly, Marc Jacobs held an Instagram contest to find a model for an upcoming campaign. Entrants simply had to tag posts #castmemarc.

These innovative methods could inspire other fashion providers to think outside the branded post – and tap into millennials’ desire to showcase a variety of outfits on social media.